UCF Regional Campuses • 12201 Research Parkway • Suite 101 Orlando, Florida 32816-0060

407.823.4547 www.curriculumalignment.ucf.edu  

   

 

I. Welcome, Introductions & Meeting Overview

II. Update: Other Curriculum Alignment Working Groups

III. Review past meeting minutes

IV. Biology Curriculum Alignment Survey update

V. Advising and its role in Curriculum Alignment

VI. Biology course sequencing

VII. Brainstorming: Best ways to collaborate and use website

VIII. New items for discussion & best practices

IX. Fall Curriculum Alignment meeting date & host

X. Adjourn  

Date: Friday, February 14, 2014 Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Place: Valencia College, Lake Nona Campus, 12350 Narcoossee Road, Orlando FL 32832 Room: 148

 

 

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Date: Friday, February 14, 2014 Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Location: Valencia College, Lake Nona Campus   12350 Narcoossee Road, Orlando FL 32832 Room: 148 Meeting began at 10:05 a.m. Attendees: Cory Blackwell, Lake-Sumter State College; Nancy Browne, Lake-Sumter State College; Flora Chisholm, Valencia College; Lynn Dorn, Valencia College; Kris Dougherty, Valencia College; Carolyn Fonville, Lake-Sumter State College; Robert Gessner, Valencia College; Mike Hampton, UCF; Chris Leibner, Lake-Sumter State College; Ashley Maddox, Seminole State College; Andrew Percy, Valencia College; Shaleeza Razack, Osceola School District; Debbie Siebart, Tavares High School; Mike Cooney, UCF Regional Campuses Mike Bosley, Provost, Valencia College's Lake Nona Campus welcomed everyone and stated he and the faculty were pleased to host the Biology Curriculum Alignment meeting. He added the 82,000 square-foot, three-story building opened in the Fall of 2012. Previously, faculty and students used the high school next door. Mike said the site could accommodate at least two more buildings. Mike Hampton thanked Mike Bosley and Kris Dougherty for hosting the meeting and welcomed all the participants. Everyone introduced himself or herself by stating their name, the institution they represented and what they did at their respective college or UCF. The following updates were given: • An overview on the work underway by each of the other four Curriculum Alignment Working

Groups was given - Math, Chemistry, Physics and Engineering. • The minutes from the October 4, 2013 meeting were reviewed and no changes were made. • The Curriculum Alignment Survey was completed at the October meeting along with the

recommended content for the five Biology courses. The Qualtrics survey program will be used to gather information from Biology faculty regarding if and how Curriculum Alignment is being implemented at the six partner colleges and UCF. Initially, the survey will only be sent to faculty on the Working Group to test, and then it will be sent to all Biology faculty at the six partner colleges and UCF once all the kinks have been worked out.

Advising and Its Role in Curriculum Alignment Mike Hampton explained that advising became an integral part of curriculum alignment at the Fall Conference on Friday, November 1 at Valencia College's Osceola Campus. During the breakout sessions in the afternoon, the faculty, and teachers for each discipline answered two questions

 

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regarding ways to include and help advisors advise students. Below are the questions and the responses: Question 1 How can the integration of advising impact and support curriculum alignment? For example . . . Utilize best practices, identify gaps in information, how to best address changes in curriculum to advisors and advisors at the partner colleges, create learning support for student’s pathways, getting everyone on the same page. Biology Centralized occupational alignment website (e.g. BLS.gov), clearinghouse; links to Blogs, etc. The “whys” behind a program structure should be explained. Help advisors understand specific course material better. Include advisors in discussions regarding curriculum changes. Provide time, budget, and opportunities for outreach programs.

Question 2 How can Curriculum Alignment provide and support school districts in both teaching (instruction) and learning to generate more students imagining science or math as their keys to the future? For example . . . Students: Transformational learning, innovative competitions, science fairs, science boot camps, ChemCollectives in Central Florida. Instructors: Transforming teaching professional development, supportive methods and tools, instruction toolbox for disciplines, summer institutes, additional teacher prep. Biology College nights on campuses, invite students and parents. Mentoring, blogging, etc. Have high school students attend college activities. Summer camps, programs and professional development opportunities. Student internship opportunities.

The following advising issues were discussed: • Advisors meet on Friday at Valencia College to make sure they stay up-to-date on a variety of

changes/updates so they advise students on the latest information. • Seminole State College holds an Interaction Day each year so departments and faculty can

share curriculum changes and updates with the advisors. • Advisors who attended today's meeting stated they would like to see the pre-tests that are given

by faculty so they could advise students on what baseline knowledge they must have to be successful in class.

• Some faculty give students a test the first day of class to access where they are academically. How well they do on the test is usually a very good indicator of how will they will do in class.

 

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• Faculty and advisors want to be honest with students and let them know what is expected of

them before signing up for class, the time students need to commit to each class (general rule: For every hour of class time, at least three hours of study are required out of class), and the minimal level of academic experience they need to do well in specific courses.

• Most high school students who attend a state college or UCF for the first time believe since they are attending classes once, twice or three times per week, they are actually going to school for less time then when they were in high school. What many don't realize is the additional study time outside of class that is required to be successful.

• Advisors would like to have more direct interaction with faculty so they understand what's required for students to succeed. For example, if a student made a C or less in a high school or college class in any of the STEM disciplines, it may be difficult, if not impossible, for them to pass at a college or university.

• Many students self-advise, which can create difficulties for them in the future. An advisor can usually help them understand what's needed to be successful in class. Some of the colleges require students to see an advisor before registering for certain courses or if they have a C or less in a specific course.

• Advisors would like the following tools to help students be successful: o Copies of the course syllabi for each class so they can share with students. o Copies of the assessments students take to better gauge their readiness for science-

related courses (STEM), realistic expectations of the workload in sciences, and information on outside study resources such as a websites, books other than course text.

o Know the estimated number of hours of seat time plus study time that is typically required for students to be success for each course.

o A tab on the Curriculum Alignment website titled Advising where information can be posted for advisors and faculty. It would include links to partner college catalogs, UCF's catalog, best practices, recommended study habits, and other resources listed above.

Aligning Course Prerequisites The faculty and advisors worked together to create a spreadsheet that showed the prerequisites for each institution for the following courses: BSC 1010, BSC 1011, BSC 2010C, BSC 2093C, BSC 2094C and MCB 2010C. Everyone agreed the information was both interesting and insightful, as it showed that although some differences did occur the partner colleges and UCF had a great deal in common. The spreadsheet will be emailed to the Working Group members and posted on Curriculum Alignment website. Next meeting Date: Friday, September 19, 2014 Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Place: Seminole State College, Oviedo Campus Room: To be announced. The meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m.